> 1. In your experience, do a significant percentage of students with> good reading ability and good math operational skills also have> difficulty with MWP ? If yes, any opinions as to why ?> Yes. To many times my students seem to be looking for the "quickway" to solve the problem without having to analyze the problem in thebeginning.

> 2. Is the use of MWP earlier than 5th grade a helpful approach or does> difficulties that are experienced dilute the math operation education?> I think that the "careful" introduction of MWP's earlier can onlystrengthen the basic skills.

> 3. Most MWP can be solved by first developing an equation. However, it> can also be solved without the equation by doing the proper math in> steps (e.g. add 'this' to 'that' ..then divide 'this' by 'that'....> then multiply the answer by 'that' ... etc.). > Should the equation be developed prior to doing the math ?> Here is a point that I disagree with strongly. I tell my studentsthat "developing an equation" is one of the LAST things you do. First : Read the problem carefully enoght that you can paraphraseit. (Don't worry about the exact numbers involved.) Second : Visulaize the problem, drawing a picture if possible. Third : Decide on a descriptive variable (Don't always use "x".) Fourth : NOW set up an equation...

Students have told me that this approach has helped them.

> 4. Have you heard the term: 'dimensional analysis' ? If so, do you use> it ? If yes, how ? No.

> > 5. If you have developed specific MWP techniques that have been really> successful for even the poorer students, please share then with us.

See my answer to #3 above...> > 6. I consider my 'Word/Fraction' technique to be a generic solution> for MWP. Do you think there can be a detailed generic solution that is> > usable even for poorer students ?> That's a tough question !